Nacelle Cowl Door Seal Layout for Controlled Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine nacelles face challenges in containing hazardous conditions such as fires and burst ducts, which can affect the sealing capability of cowl door seals and pose risks to sensitive components.
Innovation Solution
A seal arrangement featuring a first and second outer skin with a bulkhead and a first outer frame, where the seal is mounted to the cowl door and configured to maintain a seal effect even during rotational and radial deflection, using a third portion to limit compression and prevent the ingress or egress of fluids and heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is mounted to the cowl door to provide sealing capability, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the seal compression may become excessive during door rotation and deflection, leading to seal failure
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with a third portion that provides localized support to the seal at a specific location. This portion is spaced from the cowl door to provide a specific distance that limits seal compression, creating a local quality change in the seal support structure that prevents excessive compression while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The third portion of the frame acts as an intermediary element between the cowl door and the seal. It provides a controlled interface that limits seal compression through its geometric configuration, mediating the interaction between the moving door and the seal to prevent harmful excessive compression while maintaining the sealing function.
2Ease of operation
If the cowl door is made rotatable to provide access to compartments, then the ease of operation is improved, but the sealing capability may deteriorate during rotation and radial deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The seal arrangement is designed to accommodate the dynamic movement of the cowl door during rotation and radial deflection. The third portion of the frame is positioned to limit seal compression throughout the door's range of motion, allowing the door to move freely for access while maintaining sealing capability during operational deflections.
3Reliability
If the seal compression is increased to improve sealing, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the risk of seal damage and fire transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The third portion of the frame is configured in advance to limit seal compression before excessive compression can occur. By spacing the third portion from the cowl door at a specific distance, the design preemptively prevents over-compression that could damage the seal and compromise the barrier against fire and fluid transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A seal arrangement includes a first outer skin and a second outer skin disposed about an axial centerline. The second outer skin is adjacent the first outer skin and includes at least one door. A bulkhead extends substantially radially at least a portion of a distance between the axial centerline and one of the first outer skin and the second outer skin. A first outer frame includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion of the first outer frame is mounted to the bulkhead. A seal is mounted to one of the at least one door and the second portion. The at least one door is rotatable between a first position and a second position. In the second position the seal contacts the at least one door and the second portion. The third portion is configured to limit a compression of the seal.